Five Broward high-schoolers take on summer internships, leadership summit in D.C.

Courtesy of Bank of America

Through a partnership between Bank of America and the YMCA of South Florida, five Broward County high school juniors and seniors were hired over the summer for paid internships. From L-R: Carlee Goldberg, Rishab Jain, Shaddi Abdala, Gabriella Carter, Giacomo Natteri.

Through a partnership between Bank of America and the YMCA of South Florida, five Broward County high school juniors and seniors were hired over the summer for paid internships. From L-R: Carlee Goldberg, Rishab Jain, Shaddi Abdala, Gabriella Carter, Giacomo Natteri. (Courtesy of Bank of America)

When Gabriella Carter is asked what she did during her summer vacation, she'll likely have a lot to say.

The senior at Miramar High School was one of five Broward County high school juniors and seniors selected to participate in the Bank of America Student Leaders Program.

Through a partnership between Bank of America and the YMCA of South Florida, Carter and four others were hired over the summer for paid internships. They will also participate in a week-long trip to Washington, D.C. for a leadership summit.

"I have gained so much exposure to the challenges nonprofit organizations endure," Carter said about her experience. She's the founder of HOPE — a club at her school that aims to give students a safehaven and end mental health stigmas, youth drug use and violence. "Spending time with the children in the fitness summer camps never fails to reaffirm my passions."

During Carter's time with the YMCA, she's visited communities across the county, showing young people how to be healthy and active.

Bank of America chose student leaders who stood out as "tomorrow's future professionals" and "today's trailblazers." In addition to Carter, the selected students this summer were:

* Shaddi Abdala, a junior at Cooper City High School who advocates for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Abdala is the chapter president of Best Buddies at her school and an active volunteer for the Special Olympics.

* Carlee Goldberg, a senior at North Broward Preparatory School, is the founder and president of Live 2 Give and StudentLinks — a program connecting students across the country with scholarships and service opportunities.

* Rishab Jain, a junior at American Heritage High School, is the local founder of e-Nable’s Plantation Chapter. e-Nable is an organization providing prosthetic devices to those in need. As president, Jain has provided over 50 patients in Peru, Florida and India with prosthetic hands for free.

* Giacomo Natteri, a junior at Everglades High School, serves as vice president of his junior Class of 2019 and is an executive office board member at his local YMCA. Annually, Natteri holds collection drives and events for those in need.

According to a news release, the Bank of America Student Leaders program has been running since 2004. While the students are in Washington, they'll tour Capitol Hill and meet with members of Congress.